Please read the following post for important information on how I’ve chosen my recommendations:
TLDR: Whew! That title is a mouthful. There are SO many things to consider when picking the “best” sunscreen—it’s exhausting. I’ve narrowed it down for you.
Why you should care: “The Hawaii Sunscreen Ban has intensified sunscreen formula safety discussions, particularly regarding butylparaben, oxybenzone, and octinoxate. Even at low concentrations, these compounds bleach hard corals eventually leading to their death. As well, these chemicals pose threats to marine ecosystems and raise concerns about human health, particularly systemic absorption and the possibility of causing endocrine disruption.” https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1471574/full Plus, tubes of sunscreen are usually made plastic, which ends up in landfills.
What you should buy: https://www.palmpineskincare.com/ Reef-safe, Palm & Pine uses natural (organic, vegan, and cruelty-free) ingredients, come in zero-plastic packaging, is safe for sensitive skin without synthetic fragrances or hormone disruptors, and it’s travel-friendly. It also has none of that problematic beeswax, which is in so many other formulas! I looked at reviews to make sure:
1) it worked
2) it outlasted sweat/water
3) was easy to apply
4) it wouldn’t break the bank
5) it wasn’t shipped from “super far away”
6) didn’t leave a super noticeable white residue
7) zero-waste packaging
8) TSA friendly
Only Palm & Pine fit the bill!
Other options that didn’t quite meet the rigorous criteria but could be worth checking out:
- https://soldeibiza.com/products/soldeibiza-spf30 (Too pricey with shipping.)
- https://sunbutter.com.au/products/sunbutter-50spf-water-resistant-sunscreen (Produced in Australia.)
- https://www.empiresquid.com/collections/sun-care/products/life-guard-facial-sunscreen (Sunscreen hasn’t been lab-tested. I get it, small businesses sometimes can’t afford that. But it’s a deal-breaker for me.)
- https://taylorsnaturals.com/products/elevated-sun-natural-sunscreen-2oz (Same^)
- https://www.buttermeuporganics.com/collections/all-products/products/vegan-organic-sunscreen-spf-45 (This was my second choice!)
Additional Reading:
https://theroundup.org/eco-friendly-sunscreen/
https://www.almostzerowaste.com/zero-waste-sunscreens/
https://www.zerowaste.com/blog/zero-waste-sunscreen/
https://www.sustainablejungle.com/zero-waste-sunscreen/
Image Credit: De an Sun
Image Description: Person raising left hand in an OK symbol over the sun near the sea.